China’s public sector pledges to provide infrastructure and more resources for outdoor activities

China’s General Administration of Sport has published a plan calls for the nation's ourdoor sport and recreation sector to reach revenues of 3 trillion RMB (US$420 billion) and to raise a group of competitive outdoor sports companies by 2025 - creating 100 outdoor sports events by the same year.

According to a 26th November report by the People’s Daily, the 2022-2025 Outdoor Sports Sector Development Plan, released in late October, aims to designate parts of its national parks and nature reserves for outdoor sports and construct more support facilities. China’s public sector investment in outdoor sports encourages people of all age groups to embrace sports, which will propel the need for gear, outfits and other services.

On 21st November, China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism issued a national development guidance on camping, which was a first for the sector. The guidance encourages cities to designate public green spaces for same-day camping, while rural and sightseeing areas can establish larger camping bases. 

This November, Beijing established 21 cycling routes with a total distance of 730 kilometers to boost its tourism. The routes have local cultural themes such as “Beijing Opera” and are paired with the shorter hiking routes.

The recent initiatives from China’s public sector signal that it is exploring the lucrative potential of outdoor lifestyle trends. Per the sports administration’s calculation, by the end of 2021, over 400 million Chinese people were participating in outdoor sports.

Promoting outdoor sports is in line with China’s pursuit of high-quality growth. Besides driving consumption, it also supports national objectives such as alleviating rural poverty, improving public health, and promoting Chinese culture. The directives cite such activities can even boost 'silver economy' by offering more hobbies for the elderly.